Beach-protecting and beach-building structure



P. T. ZIZINIA July 23, 1929.

BEACH PROTECTING AND BEACH BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 14, 1926 INVENTOR M7" ATTORNEY amass PAUL T. ZIZINIA, OF BELMAR, NEW JERSEY.

BEACH-PROTECTING AND BEACH-BUILDING STRUCTURE.

Application filed August 14, 1926. Serial no. 129,124.

The present invention relates to a structure especially suitable for use along ocean water fronts, and has to do particularly with the protection of the beach from the action of storms and currents and with the actual building up of desirable sand beach.

Much ditficulty in the way of destruction of sand beaches by heavy seas and currents is experienced along ocean. front property. A particular source of this difiiculty is the presence of definite ocean currents moving ad jacent the shore and persisting in the same general direction throughout all or a greater part of the year. Such currents move along the shore line carrying great quantities of sand, and the tendency is to remove sand from certain parts of the shore line and deposit it at other points. This results in a shifting of the shore line and an altering of the character of the beaches. At certainiplaces erosion of the beaches occurs to such an extent as to cause great property damage. Such a situation exists, for instance, along particularly the northern portion of the New Jersey seacoast. A definite movement of the water to the north along this coast persists throughout the greater part of the year, and certain sections of the shore line suffer acutely from the destructive efi'ect of the ocean current.

The most successful means which have been proposed to preserve the beaches against the action of the w ves and the ocean currents are the heavy st ne'breakwater and the low wood beach groi The stone breakwater is a massive contin ous structure extending out from the shore a considerable distance into the water and reaching to a height of several feet above normal high water level. Because of its strength and height the stone break- Water ofiers a positive j'barrier to the rough waters of storms and prevents the plunging of the seas over the' top of the breakwater and the consequent scouring away of the sand of the beach at the lee side of the breakwater which might otherwise occur. Because of the fact that it extends out a considerable distance into the water, the breakwater, if it is sand tight, rapidly accumulates sand on the side toward which the normal ocean current is flowing, with the result that the beach builds up rapidly on that side of the breakwater usually for a considerable distance down the shore from the breakwater. The beach groin is a low, preferably wood structure located atfrequent intervals along the beach extending out across the beach from the usual shore bulkhead at substantially right angles to the shore line and extending as far out into the water as is feasible. The groins should be built low, the upper edge of the groin approximating in height and conformation the normal or desired contour of the beach. Due

-to the practical difiiculties in building the groins below normal water level it has not ordinarily been feasible to extend them more than a relatively short distance beyond the normal high water line. These low groins offer but little resistance to waves passing over them and thus but little scouring out of the sand adjacent the groins occurs. Furthermore, as the sand accumulates on that side of the groin from which the normal ocean current approaches, the water spills over the low groin structure and thus permits sand to spill over, filling up the low spots and building up the beach on the far side of the groin. If the groins are constructed too high this spilling over of sand is restricted and the beach on the far side of the groin is washed out and damaged.

Both the stone breakwater and the low groin structure are valuable in safeguarding the beaches, but these structures are open to a number of serious objections and limitations. The beach groins are usually satisfactory for protecting a beach which is in ood condition. If the groins are installed efore serious erosion of the beach has set in they will usually afiord ample and inexpensivc protection. However, it requires something in addition to simple groins to save a damaged beach and expedite its rebuilding. To protect and build up the beach the stone breakwater is resorted to. Experience has shown, however, that while such a breakwater affords very excellent protection for the beach at that side from which the normal ocean current approaches and builds up the beach rapidly on that side, it does, however, have a definite tendency to injure and even destroy the beach at the other side of the breakwater.

=This destruction of the beach at the far side of the breakwater is in many places a very serious condition. The breakwater on the the far side of the breakwater, as, for example, breakwaters or jetties provided with sand impounding basins near their inshore ends, retaining walls of various forms approximately paralleling the shore line and located below high water level, and the like. But, as far as I am aware, no reasonably sim ple structure which is practicable to build and which is operative to satisfactorily eliminate the difficulties above noted has been proposed.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a structure, particularly for use along shores'where a definite current exists, which serves as a breakwater to furnish a barrier against storms and heavy Seas, which saves the present beach from the destructive erosion of the ocean currents throughout a reasonable distance from the breakwater and which collects practically all of the sand flowing up the shore line with the current and distributes this sand on the beach at bothsides of the breakwater, thus not only avoiding destruction of they beach on the far side of the breakwater as is-inevitable with the present breakwaters, but effecting an actual constructive building-up of the beach at both sides of the breakwater. The main portion of the structure is essentially a breakwater extending out a considerable distance into the water. At its inshore end the breakwater does not extend up beyond the shore line according to the usual practice but rather terminates at or about the normal low water mark. Extending from this point in toward shore is a low groin portion having its outer and lower end substantially at low water mark. The groin portion extends back up the beach following the normal slope of the beach and is built so that its upper edge is reasonably near the present beach surface. The outer long seaward or main portion of i the breakwater-pier, in addition to furnishing a barrier against high seas, serves also to intercept the sand drifting up the coast with the current. But instead of impounding the sand at the near side of the high breakwater portion, thus building up the beach at that side with the destruction of the beach at the other side, the structure at the low groin portion permits water and surplus sand to spill over to the opposite side of the breakwater and to continue up the beach with the normal current, thus fillin in low spots and building up the beach on t at side as well as on the near side of the breakwater. This intercepting and deflecting of the drifting sand shoreward and the correspondingly increased amount of sand which is passed directly on to the beach at the far side of the breakwater because of the spilling over at the low groin portion of the structure actually builds up the beach on the far side of the breakwater-pier more positively than would be the case before the breakwater was constructed when the sand was moving undirected along the coast.

In its broad aspect the invention contemplates a structure extending out into the water and so constituted that it will intercept sand and deflect a substantial amount of sand inshore for beach building purposes. The structure has at one or more points along its length a portion which does not constitute a complete barrier to the sand carried along in the water currents. The idea is to intercept the sand proceeding along the coast and then to utilize the force of the normal currents to pass a certain amount of the sand over to the far side of the structure for use in building up the beach at that side. The point or points along the length of the structure at which this spilling over of sand is permitted will depend to a certain extent upon the condition of the beach and the places to which it is desired to direct the sand.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a breakwater structure of the class described which possesses all of the advantages and none of the disadvantages or limitations of the ordinary type of breakwater and beach groin at a cost which is materially less than the cost of the ordinary breakwater. It is also an object to provide a structure of this nature constructed in such a way that when finished it constitutes at no extra cost an adequate foundation for a spacious ocean pier.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of the breakwater-pier, Figure 2 is an elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the structure consists in general of two principal portions,

built. A height at or slightlyabove high a water level after the rock has settled into its ultimate position of repose is sufiicient. Thus the portion 1 serves as a breakwater for saving the beach and the water near "the shore from the action of heavy seas. The inner portion 2 is a low gently sloping groin portion whose upper edge follows the desired beach contour-and which throughout is not far above the normal beach level 6. As a s ecific illustration of the construction of the reakwater-pier, the inner end 7 of the groin portion 2 may conveniently be about eight feet menses above low water level 8 and the lower end 9 at substantially the low water level 8. With this arrangement the portion 2 may conveniently be about 200 feet long. The seaward or breakwater portion 1 may extend out into the ocean any desired distance as, for instance,

three. hundred feet. The portion 2 as here shown extends at substantially'right angles to the shore line while the portion 1 extends at somewhat of an'angle to the portion 2. The idea isto extend the portion 1 in a direction such that it will be most edective as a breakwater and will also be efiective in intercepting the sand driftin up the shore with the ocean current. In t e completed struc ture a low portion or gap is provided in the vicinity of the outer end 9 of the low groin portion 2. This gap is at its lowest point substantially at low water level. At high water the outer part 9 of the low portion 2 is submerged, and normally a, free passage of water along the shore over the lower end of p the portion 2 is permitted.

For the breakwater portion 1 of the struc-' ture heavy rock is required. In order to handle such rock a large derrick must be used,

; drawing the piling from the hard clay and the cost of retransporting it to another job. Acjcordingl the structural features of the present brea water-pier are hased upon the idea of erecting in the first instance a permanent trestle which will serve for constructional purposes and, when the construction work is completed, will constitute at no additional cost a suitable foundation for a lar eocea'n pier. In the structure here shown, t e foundationoi the trestle or pier consists of piling l0 driven down a considerable distance into the hard cla strata 11 and arranged with the tops of t e piles, at an approprlate uniform elevation. Widthwise or the structure suitable rows of pilin are'employed. Lengthwise the piling. exten s along the en- I tire length of the structure, connecting at its .inner end with the hoardwalk structure 12 and terminating at other end at the outer end-of the pier.

( l 'havefound that the breakwater ortion 1.05 the structure may be used efiectivelyto intercept the sand drifting up the coast if it is-provided with a-sand-tight core. Experience has demonstrated that a sand-tight breakwater will rapidly accumulate sand on" that side frpm'which the normal ocean current approaches. Accordingly, in the resent structure a sand-tight core 13 is provi ed extending throughout the length of the breakwater portion 1 of the structure. The core 13 is preferably a wood unit consisting of planks driven at their lower ends into the clay strata 3, as indicated at 14, and supported at their upper ends by the piling 10 and by suitable brace-work 15, in the manner indicated at 16. The sand-tight core 13 is built at the outermost row of piling 10 on that side 4 of the pier opposite the side from which the normal ocean current proceeds. The core 13 is continuous with, and in effect is an extension of, the inshore portion 2. With the trestle-work and piling in place the construction of the-core 13 is a relatively simple matter.

After the core 13 is in place the rock may be laid. The piling of the pier oders a strong support for the core wall 13. Because of this substantial support given to the core wall by the piling of the trestle it is unnecessary on the inshore section, say the first-two hundred feet of the groin portion 1, to protect the wall by" placing any rock along its near side, that is, the side from which the normal ocean current approaches. greatly reduces the cost of'the structure for the reason that the cost of the rock is the highest item in the construction. Rapid accumulation of sand on the inner side of the core wall is assured, and thus a natural 'support for the wall 13 is rapidly built up. The core wall 13 must be adequately supported at This its far side by a suflicient quantity of heavy rock. The section of the structure shown in Figure 3 illustrates the'type of construction onlya short distance ahead of the laying of the rock, in which case the current in sweeping around the outer end of the wall scours the sand away from the far side ofthe wall and thus provides a suitable location for the rocks. As shown in Figure 1, it may be .desirable to lay a certain amount of stone on the inner side of the core wall at the deep water end of the pier. @nly a relatively small amount of stone need be used and, as shown in Figure 3, the stone may be deposited directlv on the sand 4 for the reason that the be eliminated by buildingthe core wall 13 tendncy at this side of the pier will be for the sand to build up further rather than to wash out.

The breakwater-pier extends out into the I height may be attained V -in for the pier.

. tion 2 are wood structures receivin travel of the water will, to a certain extent, be slowed up so that a large amount of sand will be directed inshore and deposited on the beach at the near sideof the structure. It will thus serve in much the same fashion as do present properly constructed breakwaters in building up the beach on the side of the breakwater toward which the normal ocean current approaches. A great amount of this sand which is intercepted and deflected in toward shore will, however, spill over the low end of the groin portion 2 and thus pass on to the beach at the far side of the breakwaterpiera By intercepting all of the drifting sand and by spilling over a large proportion of it to the far side of the breakwater-pier in shallow water, a greater amount of sand is deposited on the beach at the far side of the structure than would be the case if no breakwater structure at all were present and the sand'were drifting up the coast in its ordinary unobstructed course of flow. Thus not only does the present structure build up the beach at the near side of the breakwater and avoid destruction of the beach on the other side but actually builds up the beach on the far side as well as on the near side of the structure.

On badly damaged beaches it may be desirable to build either or both the breakwater portion '1 or the. inshore portion 2 initially lower than the ultimate contour of the beach which' is desired. After the structure has been in action for some time and the beach building has progressed to a sulficient extent, the top edges of the groin portion 2 and the breakwater portion 1 may raised. The construction of the present invention easily permits of this due to the fact that both the core wall 13 and the groin portheir 10. Ad itional y merely placing suitable wood members upon the tops of the old core wall and groin portion and securing such members to the piling 10. If, on a support from the pilin badly damaged beach, the breakwater-pier structure is made too high e near side will takea temporary building-up of the beach at t lace with a destruction of the beach at the ar side, after the manner of the ordinary breakwater. This is avoided by initially building the parts lower than ultimately desired and later raising them after the beach development is under way.

After the construction work is finished the tops of the piling 10 may be suitably leveled off and an appropriate floor surfacing 17 laid upon the piling. The structure is then a finished pier obtainedwithout an extra cost other than the cost of the actual oor surface present invention, therefore, provides a breakwater-pier which serves a number of functions. It first constitutes a. breakwater to save the shore and waters near shore from the action of storms and heavy seas. It further serves to intercept all sand drifting up the coast with the normal ocean current and to direct this sand onto the beach for beach building purposes. It serves to build up the beach on that side from which the normal ocean current approaches. It prevents destruction of the beach at the other side of the structure; Not only does it prevent destruction of this beach, but actually builds up the beach. The structure employs only about one third the amount of rock commonly used in the ordinary type of breakwater, and its cost is therefore much less. After the construction work is finished, a pier floor may be placed upon the trestle foundation, and thus a long wide pier is provided at practically no additional cost.

I claim:

1. A beach protecting and beach building structure of the class described'which comprises a substantially sand ti ht portion extending out away from the each into the region of water driven sand rising to a height sufficient to intercept the major portion of such sand and extending at its inshore end at 'a, lesser height below the normal high Water line to a point seaward of thesaid high water line, whereby a passa e of water and sand along the beach past t e inshore end of the said sand tight portion is. ermitted.

2. A beach protecting an beach building structure of the class described for use on beaches along which a current normally flows in a definite general direction, which comprises a portion extending out into the water such distance and at such height as to intercept the major part of thesand drifting along the shore under the influence of said current, extending outwardly at an angle of less than 90 with the direction of approach ofsaid current to thereby deflect said current and its entrained sand inshore, and terminating at its inshore end seaward 0f thenormal high water line, whereby a part of" the current and entrained sand deflected inshore will pass the inshore end of the structure onto the beach at the far side thereof and an inshore portion shoreward of said first mentioned portion rising to a height lower than normal high water level at a point seaward of the normal high water line, whereby a part of the portion and is deposited upon the beach at the.

menses ried and terminating at its inshore end on the seaward side of the normal high water line, an inner portion extending inshore from the inner end of said outer portion having its up per edge approximating the desired contour of the beach and having its end which is adj acent the inshore end of said outer ortion lower than said outer portion and be ow the normal high water level, whereby a part of the sand intercepted and deflected inshore by said outer portion is directed upon the beach at the near side of the structure and is retained at said side by the said inner portion of the structure while a portion of said sand is carried past the inshore end of the said outer portion and is thereby directed upon the beach at the far side of said structure.

5. A beach protecting and beach building structure of the class described for use on beaches along which a current normally flows in a definite general direction, which comprises an outer breakwater portion extending out into the water a sufiicient distance at a sufiicient height to intercept the major part of the sand drifting along the shore under the influence of said current, extending outwardly at an acute angle to the direction of flow of said current to thereby deflect inshore said current and the sand carried thereby, and terminating at its inshore end on the seaward side of the normal high water line, and an inner portion extending inshore from the inshore end of said breakwater portion at substantially right angles to the shore line having-its upper edge approximating in slope and in height the desired beach surface and having its outer end at substantially low water level, whereby sand deflected inshore by said outer breakwater portion is directed onto the beach at the near side of the structure and is built up to the height of said inner portion and additional sand is spilled over the top of said inner portion and serves to build up the beach at the far side of the structure.

6. A beach protecting and beach building ,structure of the class described for use on beaches along which a current normally flows in a definite general direction, comprising a substantially sand-tight inshore section which at least one place therein is at an elevation lower than high water level so that it does not constitute a complete sand barrier, and an outshore section which continues at an elevation above high water level to thereby constitute a substantially complete sand barrier, the outshore section extending inshore at an angle of more than ninety degrees to the normal direction of flow of said current to thereby intercept and deflect the drifting sand shoreward to said inshore section and said inshore section serving to retain behind it a portion of said sand and permit the surplus sand to spill over to the far side thereof.

7. A beach protecting and beach building structure of the class described for use on beaches along which a current normally flows in a definite'general direction, comprising an inshore section having its outer end at substantially the low water elevation, and an outshore section associated therewith which continues out into the water at an elevation above high water level to thereby constitute a substantially complete barrier to water driven sand.

8. A beach protecting and beach building structure of the class described for use on beaches along which a current normally flows in a definite general direction, comprising an inshore section having its outer end at substantially low water elevation, and an outshore section which -continues out into the water at substantially high water elevation.

9. A beach protecting and beach building structure of the class described which comprises a portion built principally of heavy rock extending out into the water a suflicient distance at a sufficient height to intercept and deflect inshore sand proceeding along the coast and descending at its inner end on the seaward side of the normal high water line to a lower level substantially belowhigh water level. whereby water carrying the sand intercepted by said portion is permitted to proceed along the beach past the inshore end of the said portion onto the beach at the far side of the structure, and a sand tight core associated with said rock portion for preventing passage of sand through the structure, whereby substantially all of the sand proceeding along the coast is made available for beach building purposes.

PAUL T. ZIZINIA. 

